Park Conservation and Volunteer Engagement Leader – AmeriCorps Member

Friends of Mill Ridge Park

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Job Summary

Summary Statement 

The Park Conservation and Volunteer Engagement Leader will strengthen the park’s service to South Nashville’s diverse community with outdoor education, recreation, volunteer and conservation experiences for Mill Ridge Park.

Term Commitment  

Full Time, August 15,2022 – July 28, 2023

Position Description 

You will love this role if you love spending time outdoors and sharing that joy with the others. The member should have an ability to plan, organize, and lead projects for volunteers. Our organization values and celebrates our diverse community that spans race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, abilities and socioeconomic status. The ideal candidate will hold the same values and have lived experience that allows them to passionately and intentionally engage with our community members. The member should be interested in environmental sustainability and equitable access to green space.  This role will include documenting processes and outcomes, collaboration, and proactivity.

The member will develop and operate a robust volunteer program at Mill Ridge Park. They will perform outreach in the community to build awareness and enroll volunteers at Mill Ridge Park. Projects will include research, planning, and facilitating weekly service projects and activities. The member will impact the condition and sustainability of Mill Ridge Park while offering outdoor education, recreation, and conservation experiences to hundreds of volunteers. The new volunteer program will grow into an ongoing effort offering access to the outdoors for our community, which has limited outdoor spaces and parks.  Parkland volunteer projects include: waterways cleanups, pumpkin patch and orchard care, invasive weed removal, pollinator garden planting, wildlife habitat (re)construction, farmhouse repairs, trail repairs, and more!

This member will develop skills related to: community outreach and organizing, program design and implementation, project and event coordination, supervision, facilitation, environmental sustainability, and program evaluation.

Nashville is powered by people of all ages, races, ethnicities, skin tones, sexes, genders, sexualities, religions, abilities, and socioeconomic statuses engaging in service together. This is a city where YOU matter and YOU make a difference. Join us as we tackle the community’s most pressing challenges through service by becoming a Hands On Nashville AmeriCorps Program member.

The HON AmeriCorps Program is made possible through generous support from Volunteer Tennessee, The Dan and Margaret Maddox Fund, and AmeriCorps, the federal agency connecting individuals and organizations through service and volunteering to tackle the nation’s most pressing challenges.

Job Responsibilities

Responsibilities 

• Plan a schedule of regular, fun volunteer activities at Mill Ridge Park that offer outdoor education, recreation, and conservation experiences to volunteers
• Facilitate outreach and consistent communication to build awareness and develop a roster of regular volunteers at Mill Ridge Park
• Document procedures and processes for volunteer engagement
• Connect and communicate with community partners for collaboration on volunteer service projects at Mill Ridge Park

• Document, analyze, and report progress and performance of volunteer program
• Have fun working with members of the community to improve the parkland

 

Typical Day In This Position 

This role will spend a typical day at Mill Ridge Park in Antioch – either in the headquarters (located at the park) or on the 600+ acres of parkland. One part of the day will entail researching, scheduling, planning, and promoting upcoming volunteer activities. The other part of the day will entail communicating with and leading groups of volunteers in service projects and activities in the outdoors. A regular day may also entail designing and documenting program processes, procedures and outcomes.

Service Schedule

The majority of service will be scheduled weekdays 9-5. Alternative shifts on some weekends, evenings, and early mornings will be scheduled in advance for volunteer activities, and regular schedules will be adjusted accordingly.

Qualifications

Competencies  

Members should have experience with or the willingness to develop competencies in these areas:

(1) Willingness to serve outdoors during all seasons with a fun, enthusiastic attitude.
(2) Willingness to meet new people; host, serve, and supervise a diverse community of all ages and abilities.
(3) Proficiency in using Microsoft Office for professional and timely communication with coworkers and community.

Key abilities include:

(1) Flexibility, resourcefulness, and creativity for making things happen
(2) Learning and applying new information to service.
(3) Inspiring people with high energy and fun!

Other Skills 

– Multilingual skills would be awesome, as we serve a multicultural community.
– Education and/or experience related to environmental work would be useful.
– Passion for parks and outdoors would be invaluable.

Additional Information

Benefits

How to Apply

Please apply using the link: https://forms.office.com/r/4BZ11DvFuv

Details

• Date Posted: April 7, 2022
• Type: VISTA / AmeriCorps
• Job Function: Programs and Service Delivery
• Service Area: Environment
• Start Date: 08/15/2022
• Salary Range: 20000
• Working Hours: 37.5